A/N: I haven't written in so long! Please note, if there are errors I'm just trying to get back into the game with writing.

I do not own harry potter... just this story line.

This story is marked as M... I marked it M for later scenes I have in mind, once things start getting more heated up between Draco and Hermione... :D

Chapter Two: Friendship.

Hermione was frozen in her spot, standing there at the Black Lake. Draco Malfoy still stood in front of her, his hands in his pockets, look as if he were helpless.

"You want to be my friend?" asked Hermione, nearly whispering.

"I think you heard what I said, I don't need to repeat myself." Mumbled Malfoy.

"Is this some joke the rest of your Slytherin mates and yourself come up with?"

"Does it look like anyone else is around? It's just me, standing here. Now I'm sensing this was a mistake." He turned from her, to walk away.

"Malfoy, wait."

He sighed, was this the right thing to do? His father in prison, he had no desire to see the man again, but what would his mother think? She was one that cared for him most of all but still followed his fathers every wish. Even to be friends with a muggle-born was something that would have been frowned upon if his father were still home.

He didn't turn to face her, as he waited for her to say something else. His back was to her and he looked to his shoulder to show she had his attention.

"Let me ask you a question." She paused, walking to him so she could stand in front of him. He looked right into those brown eyes and could see the fear. "Why didn't you give us away to her?"

Malfoy's mouth went dry, of all the questions she was to ask him, he wasn't expecting that to be the question. He never wanted to speak of that day, but with Hermione, there wasn't any way around it.

"I-" His heart was racing, what was he supposed to say to her? Nothing could make it better for what happened to her. "I tried pretending I didn't recognize any of you in hopes that it would be able to protect you. You have no idea what it was like living there, The Dark Lord coming in and out of your home. Making it feel like less of your own home every day! I lied to try to get you guys out of there! If I had of made it obvious to what I was doing, they would have killed all of us on the spot."

"Your own father would have killed you?"

"No, Bellatrix would have done it and my father would have stood there and said I deserved it."

Hermione gaped, tears forming. "I don't need your pity, Granger. Bellatrix is dead, and that man is locked away now."

"Do you know what your aunt did to me?" snapped Hermione, fighting the tears. "Do you know what I have to look at every day? She used a cursed knife, I have tried to remove the scars but the most I have been able to do is make it look duller, so it isn't as visible, but its still there. Staring at me day by day." She pulled on her robe, and pulled her sleeve up.

Mudblood. In Bellatrix's writing on her arm. He saw it as clear as day, once her sleeve was pulled up to her elbow. He looked away in horror, not wanting to look at it as he saw the look on her face.

"I'm not her."

"No, you aren't, but just moments before asking to be my friend you called me one again."

"What?! No, I didn't! You called yourself one, and I only said yes you are!" she threw her hands up in protest, but Malfoy continued before she could cut him off. "You are a muggle born, yes. But you should be proud of it. I don't think of you any lower than myself. You're smarter than anyone I know, you've always been top of the class year by year. You even helped take down the most powerful dark wizard there was. I'm ashamed of the things I've done and said. I want to make things different. Damn it! I want to change, Granger! I don't want to be this man that I thought I had to be while I was growing up!"

Hermione did the only thing she could think of, she would have easily done this for any of her other friends if they stood in front of her saying the things he did. She closed the gap in between then, and wrapped her arms around him and pulled him in for a hug. She held on tightly, even with her tiny body she wanted him to feel secure. Malfoy froze, his body going rigid before softening and returning the hug to her.

He couldn't remember the last time someone had hugged him. Or thinking a hug felt so special. He relaxed his head onto hers, smelling her hair, and she could feel his warm breath on the side of her cheek.

"I will be your friend, Malfoy. I will try to help you become the better person you say you would like to become."

He stared at her, feeling as if he could cry too, but wouldn't let it out. How could this perfect witch stand in front of him, after all the horrid things he had done and said to her, the things his family had done, be able to stand in front of him and say she would help him?

"Thank you, Granger."

"If we are friends, shouldn't we be going by first names?"

You're right, Hermione." Her name come off his tongue like he had said it every day and sent shivers down her spine.

"Want to walk back to the castle with me, Draco?" she said smiling at him. His heart paused, he saw that smile before. A smile she always gave to the Weaslette, Potter and Weasel. Perhaps she really did mean it for a friendship with him.

"Sure."

They walked back together slowly, needing to get back before dinner started. They walked slowly together, enjoying each other company for just a few minutes. Talking about the weather then talking about some of the classes. They shared Potions and Defense against the Dark Arts together. Hermione found out that Draco enjoyed Defense Against the Dark Arts close most and Charms second. He enjoyed reading, nearly as much as her.

"Maybe we could study together?" said Hermione, as they got closer to the castle. "It would be nice to have to sit with that actually wants to do their work, even if we are in silence."

Draco smirked, "I suppose so. No quidditch talk allowed though, I assume?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's not that I don't like quidditch. I just don't like flying."

"I will have to take you flying once, I will change your mind." Hermione only smiled, knowing that she would never like flying and he wouldn't be able to change her mind. "Do you think we should keep our friendship secret?"

Hermione frowned, "Then that isn't much a friendship, is it? Malfoy, was this seriously just a joke?"

"No! This wasn't a joke, I really mean it. I'm only asking because of how will Potter and Weasel say to this?"

"Well, if you could stop calling them names, that will probably help your situation out a lot more. Don't you think?" he rolled his eyes. "Perhaps your right, maybe break it to them lightly before just pushing it on the rest of the school. We will figure something out. For now, I need to go meet them, I was supposed to meet them before dinner."

"I'll send you a note and we can meet somewhere later." He hesitated to say or do anything else, before glancing at her once more and walked away leaving her in the court yard.

A moment passed, and Hermione began to rush to the 7th floor to her common room. As Hermione reached the last flight of stairs, the boys were at the top.

"There you are!" said Harry, with Ron standing beside him. "We were just talking about where you could have been. We were going to try to find you."

"Where have you been?" asked Ron, looking unsure.

"By the Black Lake. Just took a walk. Lost track of time, I suppose."

"Alright, well can we talk now?" asked Ron, as he looked at Harry for some reassurance.

"Yeah, I will see you two at dinner then." Said Harry, as he kept walking down the stairs to the Great Hall. Hermione looked at Ron, unsure of what was going on.

"What's the matter, Ron?" asked Hermione.

"Come with me." He said slowly, as he took her hand and took her to an empty classroom.

"What? What's the matter that you need to bring me in here?" she flicked her wand, so the nearest light came on.

"Nothing is wrong, I just need to speak with you. I've been trying to figure out what to say to you. Now I just needed to say it."

"Alright? Go on?"

His ears turned red, and he grabbed one of her hands as he spoke.

"Hermione, I like you. Not just like you as a friend, but I really like you as more. I have for a while just never knew how to tell you. Now that I'm feeling having the courage to tell you I'm hoping that we can go on as something more?"

"Oh, Ronald." Said Hermione quickly, unsure how to make this easier for him. She looked to him, his eyes nearly pleading with her as he hoped his feelings were mutual. From one split second, a thought came across her, Draco Malfoy. Hermione shuddered, and pulled her hang away from Ron.

"Ron, I'm really sorry, I just don't think I feel that way about you."

He looked defeated, but didn't let that stop him. "I thought you did? I thought you did when I dated Lavender and that was why you were so upset with us together."

"That was two years ago, Although I thought I had feelings for you then doesn't mean I still have them now."

"Oh.." he mumbled, unsure of what to say.

"I'm sorry, Ron. You are truly an amazing man, but I don't want to go into something and it not be real. I don't want to hurt you anymore. Please don't be upset, I want to be friends."

He gave a sad smile, "Of course, 'Mione. We will always be friends. Lets get to dinner, I'm hungry." She smiled, following his way out of the classroom, to the Great Hall.

They entered the Great Hall together, and Harry eagerly looking their way but whatever Harry had been expecting, wasn't what he saw. Ron quickly shook his head no, and Harry looked away not wanting to make it any more obvious. As Hermione came to sit beside Harry with Ginny across the table, she looked at Draco Malfoy, who gave her a quick smirk before looking back away. Hermione blushed, and look down at her food immediately, but Ginny had been watching the entire time.

"So Hermione." Said Ginny quietly, as the boys went into conversing together. "What were you doing when you disappeared earlier?"

Hermione looked at the redhead, who had a look like she knew something was going on.

"Uh-what's the matter?" asked Hermione, but Ginny only raised her eyebrows up. "I just went on a walk down by the Lake. Wanted to get some fresh air."

I saw you. She mouthed, so the boys didn't see or hear her.

"What?" asked Hermione, surprised. Ginny gave her a sarcastic look.

"You heard me!" snapped Ginny, under her breath. "In the courtyard."

Oh. Was all Hermione could mouth out.

"You have some explaining to do." She looked at the boys, who were still talking amongst themselves with some of the other boys that sat with them. "Later."

Hermione suddenly wasn't very hungry, she stared at her plate of food and tried to nibble at some of her potatoes. She glanced to Draco, who was in a conversation with Blaise, but as if he could sense her staring, he looked up for a moment to see her and for the first time in her life, she saw Draco Malfoy smile.

a/n: Any thoughts?